Looking Back: Pope Benedict XVI in New York, April, 2008

Christ Our Hope was the theme of Pope Benedict XVI’s apostolic journey to the U.S. in 2008. The six-day trip, April 15-20, began in Washington, D.C., and concluded in New York City. The Diocese of Brooklyn was present to welcome the Holy Father when he arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport… While in New […]

People Were Attracted to Sister Marce’s Holiness

by Father Raymond P. Roden In the late 1960s when many religious sisters reclaimed their baptismal and family names, Sister Mary Marcellus, C.S.J., became Sister Mary Anne Ricioppo, C.S.J. Curiously, the name didn’t stick. It was one of those funny things in a time of whirlwind change that she continued on as Marcellus in spite […]

Christ Is Present Everywhere

by Father Robert Lauder 11th in a series In re-reading Pope Benedict’s Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week: From the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2011, pp. 362), I found some of the statements that the Holy Father makes about the Risen Christ especially interesting. Reflecting on my own experience of […]

Pope Baptizes 20

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – The Sistine Chapel sounded a bit like a nursery Jan. 14, as Pope Benedict XVI baptized 20 babies, whose crying provided a constant accompaniment to the two-hour Mass on the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Referring to the day’s reading from the Gospel St. Luke, which recounts the baptism […]

Sainthood Cause for Paul VI Moves Ahead

by Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Benedict XVI advanced the sainthood cause of Pope Paul VI by recognizing the Italian pope as having lived the Christian virtues in a heroic way. He also recognized a miracle attributed to the intercession of an Italian martyr who, with an estimated 800 other people, died at […]

Pope’s First Tweet Bestows a Blessing

by Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Benedict XVI launched his very own Twitter account, sending a short inaugural message to his more than 1 million followers. “Dear friends, I am pleased to get in touch with you through Twitter. Thank you for your generous response. I bless all of you from my heart,” […]

Jesus: New Temple of Humanity

by Father Robert Lauder   Fourth in a series Reading Pope Benedict’s book, Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week: From the Entrance Into Jerusalem to the Resurrection (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2011, pp. 362), provides an education for me in several areas, not only in the theology of the Old Testament and the theology of the […]

Pope Sends Congratulations To Obama

by Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Benedict XVI congratulated U.S. President Barack Obama on his re-election, saying that he prayed the ideals of freedom and justice that guided America’s founders might continue to flourish. The Vatican did not make public the full text of the pope’s telegram to Obama, which was sent via […]

Rochester Bishop Retires

Pope Benedict XVI accepted the resignation of Bishop Matthew H. Clark, 75, of Rochester, and named Bishop Robert J. Cunningham, 69, of Syracuse, as apostolic administrator of the Rochester Diocese until a successor to Bishop Clark is named and installed. Bishop Clark celebrated 33 years as Rochester’s bishop and the 50th anniversary of his priestly […]

In Germany, If You Stop Paying Church Tax, Stop Receiving the Sacraments

WARSAW, Poland (CNS) – The German bishops’ conference defended a controversial decree that said Catholics who stop paying a church membership tax cannot receive sacraments. “There must be consequences for people who distance themselves from the church by a public act,” said Archbishop Robert Zollitsch of Freiburg, conference president, in defending the Sept. 20 decree. […]